The NextBetter™ Podcast

In this episode of The Next Better AMA Show, Coach Woody and Kristen Rinkel answer real questions from high achievers navigating identity, discipline, and what it actually means to be "in shape"—physically, mentally, and purposefully.

Together, they explore the messy tension between success and self-worth, why true resilience matters more than raw discipline, and how to build an identity that doesn’t crumble under change, failure, or other people’s expectations.

From new definitions of fitness to uncovering blind spots and why servant leadership is the greatest sustainable motivator—this episode is packed with insights you’ll want to replay.

In this AMA, they explore:

✅ Why most high achievers never feel proud of their wins

✅ How to recognize and celebrate "small" accomplishments

✅ What it really means to be “in shape”—and why most people get it wrong

✅ The hidden cost of self-reliance and why asking for help matters

✅ The difference between discipline and resilience

✅ Why service is the best strategy for long-term motivation

✅ How to deal with insecurity and stop chasing someone else’s version of success

✅ What “culture” actually means—and how to build it with intention

This one’s for the high-performing humans who are ready to ditch perfection, embrace alignment, and live from the inside out.

🔔 Follow the show for more unfiltered conversations about performance, purpose, and playing the game that matters.

✨ Stay connected:

LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter

Website: https://nextbetter.com

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why service matters more than goals for high achievers

02:25 – Listener Q&A intro + today’s big themes

04:15 – Ty’s question: Why don’t achievements feel like achievements?

10:43 – How to identify (and celebrate) small wins

13:19 – The 8 dimensions of well-being explained

17:50 – Michael’s question: Blind spots in high achievers

19:39 – Why servant-hearted people succeed sustainably

22:30 – Over-control and the burden of responsibility

25:00 – Why asking for help is a performance strategy

29:15 – How to bounce back when you lose discipline

32:40 – The “wood beam vs. tree” analogy for resilience

39:07 – Resilience in relationships, parenting, and habits

40:32 – Ben’s question: What does it really mean to be in shape?

44:45 – Why six-pack abs ≠ actual wellness

48:18 – Fitness, values, and finding your “why”

50:03 – Why we compare ourselves—and how to stop

53:50 – Validation, attraction, and real connection

57:00 – Text-a-gratitude practice that builds instant joy

58:14 – Teaser: Next week’s question on workplace culture

In this episode, entrepreneur and longevity finance expert John Sabes joins Coach Woody to explore the powerful intersection of money, mindset, and health—and why real wealth is about more than just your bank account.

With over 35 years of experience in the financial industry and a passion for longevity science, John shares why understanding your financial literacy is just as critical as understanding your DNA—and how both shape your odds of living a longer, healthier, happier life.

Together, John and Coach Woody explore:

✅ The link between financial wellness and lifespan

✅ Why financial literacy is a form of self-care

✅ How most retirement planning is built on outdated models

✅ What the Blue Zones teach us about true wealth

✅ The difference between being financially rich and living a wealthy life

✅ How gene expression and epigenetics impact your future health

✅ Why “investing” in health today reduces future expenses

✅ How to compound physical, financial, and emotional well-being—on purpose

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to redefine wealth on their own terms. Whether you’re 28 or 58, John’s insights will challenge the way you think about retirement, happiness, and what it means to live a truly rich life.

🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations that challenge the hustle, elevate purpose, and redefine high performance.

✨ Stay connected:

LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter

Website: ⁠https://nextbetter.com⁠

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – What do your DNA and 401k have in common?

03:45 – The Venn diagram of longevity, money, and happiness

06:12 – Why we’re not taught the language of money

10:40 – Financial shame, ego, and emotional literacy

13:15 – Wealth vs. financial wealth: What’s the difference?

17:02 – What the Blue Zones reveal about health and happiness

22:05 – How longevity planning could transform financial services

26:44 – The retirement fallacy: What no one’s talking about

30:00 – Healthy aging is cheaper aging

33:00 – The mindset shift that makes health an investment

36:15 – Little deposits that compound a wealthy life

40:25 – Wealthy doesn’t mean rich—it means expanded

45:00 – Where to start: daily action for lifelong wealth

50:20 – The story of John's mother—and why time is the real treasure

56:00 – Don’t wait for a wake-up call. Choose to live well now.

59:30 – Who the book Healthy Wealthy Longevity is really for

In this episode of The Next Better AMA Show, Kristin and Coach Woody dive into what it actually looks like to play the long game when it comes to your health, your wealth, and the choices you make every day to sustain both.

Together, they explore what gets in the way of sustainable well-being in a world obsessed with quick wins and immediate returns. From reflections on mortality to navigating career pivots and financial resets, this conversation is a candid reminder that the most meaningful success isn’t just about achievement—but alignment.

They dive into personal practices, like how Coach Woody uses “4,000 weeks” to track his life and why most people are optimizing for a version of success they don’t actually want. Whether you’re scaling a company, rebuilding after burnout, or just trying to live with more clarity, this episode offers the perspective shift you didn’t know you needed.

In this AMA, they explore:

✅ Why longevity starts with remembering the game ends

✅ The cost of comfort—and why growth requires discomfort

✅ How to reset your financial identity after a setback

✅ The role of deep relationships in sustaining health and wealth

✅ What the “2AM tire test” reveals about your circle

✅ How to stay aligned when your goals evolve

✅ Why service might be the most overlooked strategy for long-term fulfillment

This one’s for the ambitious, values-driven leaders who are tired of chasing and ready to build better—on their terms.

🔔 Follow the show for more unfiltered conversations about performance, purpose, and playing the game that matters.

✨ Stay connected:

LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter

Website: https://nextbetter.com

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome and topic setup

03:12 – What it really means to play the long game

06:35 – 4,000 weeks: mortality as motivation

10:53 – Career detours and identity rebuilds

19:29 – Health vs. hustle: redefining longevity

24:32 – Relationships and the 2AM tire test

30:30 – Why success without community falls flat

34:05 – From survival mode to sustainable growth

39:07 – Service as a long-term strategy

44:11 – Values check-ins and micro-habit change

47:20 – The 8 dimensions of well-being

55:33 – Final thoughts and what’s next

In this episode, legendary Hollywood story coach and author Michael Hauge joins Coach Woody to unpack what makes a story truly powerful—and how entrepreneurs can use emotional storytelling to build trust, drive sales, and create real connection.

With over 40 years of experience helping screenwriters, speakers, and business leaders tell impactful stories, Michael reveals the key to going beyond “polished” narratives and tapping into the emotional core that actually moves people to act.

Together, Michael and Coach Woody explore:

✅ Why stories built on emotion—not credentials—drive results

✅ The 2 journeys every hero takes: external success and internal growth

✅ How to reframe your past to make it meaningful to others

✅ The difference between storytelling that connects vs. storytelling that sells

✅ The 6 essential steps of every great story

✅ Why you’re not the hero—you’re the guide

✅ How to use reflection characters and vulnerability to build trust

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, creatives, and purpose-driven leaders who want to inspire, lead, and sell without sounding like everyone else. If you're ready to stop pitching and start connecting, this one’s for you.

🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations that challenge the old playbook and redefine success through story, service, and self-awareness.

✨ Stay connected:

LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter

Website:⁠ https://nextbetter.com

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why stories matter more than credentials

03:12 – Emotion vs. information: which actually sells?

06:35 – “You’re creating a movie in their mind”

11:58 – What every entrepreneur gets wrong about storytelling

16:25 – Why vulnerability is the foundation of trust

20:44 – The internal journey: from fear to courage

26:01 – You are not the hero—they are

30:12 – The role of reflection characters in real-life stories

35:36 – The difference between inspiration and manipulation

40:40 – Michael’s 6-step storytelling framework

45:22 – How to use your story to pitch without selling

48:15 – Storytelling mistakes to avoid (and what works better)

52:30 – Final thoughts: tell the truth, guide the hero, and connect deeper

In this episode of The Next Better AMA Show, Coach Woody and Kristin explore one of the most powerful tools you already have—but probably aren’t using:

Your story.

Whether you’re stuck in someone else’s script, reliving the same painful chapter, or trying to make sense of a setback—this conversation is about reclaiming authorship of your life.

Together, they unpack how storytelling shapes our identity, fuels personal growth, and becomes the framework we use to define success, purpose, and possibility.

If you’ve ever felt like your life is “off,” like you’re chasing goals that don’t feel like yours anymore—this episode is for you.

In this episode, we explore:

• How to know when your story needs a rewrite

• The stories we inherit—and how to question them

• Why owning your pain can be the most powerful plot twist

• The difference between real storytelling and performative vulnerability

• How to define a “story worth reading”—and start living it now

✨ Stay connected:

LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter

Website: https://nextbetter.com

Highlights:

00:01 – Intro: Why storytelling is more than a branding tool

01:51 – The #1 mistake people make with their story

03:55 – “If your story sucks, nobody’s going to listen”

14:34 – Rewriting vs. reframing: how perception changes everything

20:29 – “Can’t usually means won’t”—the responsibility shift

26:40 – Owning your decisions without guilt

32:20 – What comeback stories teach us about real connection

40:03 – The journaling habit that can reshape your future

43:15 – Letting go of stories written in pain

56:26 – “Your pain is your biggest lesson”—how vulnerability becomes leadership

58:58 – Final reflections and how to take your story back

In this episode, Dr. Torkil Færø—Norwegian physician, photographer, and bestselling author of The Pulse Cure—joins Coach Woody to reveal how your body’s signals can transform your stress, energy, and long-term health.

With decades of experience across emergency medicine, general practice, and expedition leadership, Dr. Færø offers a powerful framework for using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to track recovery, prevent burnout, and reclaim balance in high-performance lives.

Together, Dr. Færø and Coach Woody explore:

✅ Why your body knows you’re stressed—even if your mind doesn’t.

✅ The role of HRV in predicting burnout, anxiety, and chronic disease.

✅ Why late-night eating, alcohol, and overstimulation quietly sabotage your health.

✅ How overachievers confuse coping with thriving.

✅ The power of micro-rest and recovery windows.

✅ Free tools that boost long-term vitality: movement, sleep, breathwork, cold exposure.

✅ Why doing less (with intention) often produces more clarity, energy, and resilience.

This episode is a must-listen for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and health-driven leaders looking to prevent burnout and perform better—without breaking themselves in the process.

🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations that challenge the hustle, elevate recovery, and redefine high performance.

✨ Stay connected: LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody

YouTube: @TheNextBetter Website: https://nextbetter.com

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – What if your biggest stressors are the ones you can’t feel?

01:19 – Surprising sources of stress: food, alcohol, even chili 03:38 – Good stress vs. useless stress 06:51 – What is HRV and why does it matter?

09:51 – Explaining HRV to a second grader

13:06 – Stress, the immune system, and hunter-gatherer patterns

16:25 – Processed food, late-night meals, and “hidden stress”

19:11 – Bread vs. fasting: What your wearable reveals

22:01 – Why our bodies can’t feel inflammation or blood sugar

24:24 – Chronic illness starts decades before diagnosis

25:53 – From doctor to patient: Torkil’s personal wake-up call

28:15 – Free tools for recovery: sleep, breath, cold, movement

30:22 – Why medical schools don’t teach prevention

32:40 – The “ancient lifestyle” your body still craves

35:57 – Why this isn’t about adding years—it's about living better now

39:18 – How HRV helps couples understand and support each other

41:00 – Tools, wearable recs, and why Garmin wins

45:36 – Real-time stress tracking and micromanagement 48:51 – Rest fuels performance: how boredom creates breakthroughs

50:47 – Why “doing less” helps you achieve more

51:41 – Simple daily recovery practices that actually work 53:32 – Final reflections: Start now. Don’t wait for the fire.

In this episode of The Next Better AMA Show, Coach Woody and Kristin unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in modern life:

Is stress destroying us—or are we just using it wrong?

Together, they dive deep into the science, psychology, and personal habits that turn stress into fuel for growth. From HRV monitors and overtraining to emotional reactivity and weekend burnout cycles, Coach Woody lays out exactly how high achievers can stop crashing and start stressing better.

If you’re constantly “on,” feeling wired-but-tired, or wondering why your body feels burned out while your mind tells you to keep going—this episode is for you.

In this episode, let’s explore:

• The difference between good stress and destructive stress
• Why most high achievers drain their energy by 4pm
• How to train your week like an athlete trains for game day
• The danger of tracking nothing—and calling it self-care
• How mindfulness helps you actually fix stress, not just cope with it

Highlights:

00:01 – Welcome and why stress matters

01:22 – “All growth happens through stress and discomfort”

04:30 – What eating a huge meal can teach us about stress

12:04 – Psychological vs. physiological stress explained

14:00 – “Tech tricks us into thinking we can do it all”

19:31 – Coach Woody vs. his wife: Two different stress patterns

25:56 – Why you need to track stress to master it

33:57 – Planning your week around recovery and energy

37:27 – “Are you really stressed—or just afraid of stillness?”

39:29 – The performance trap: Why 100% output leads to burnout

43:56 – Thriving vs. surviving: A call to high achievers

55:56 – “Mindfulness is just awareness—so you can finally change”

59:00 – What Coach Woody pays attention to (and why it matters)

1:02:30 – Closing thoughts and community challenge

In this episode, Brandon Noll—former Wall Street high-flyer turned values-driven leader—joins Coach Woody to tell the raw and remarkable story of walking away from a multi-million dollar finance career in pursuit of faith, family, and fulfillment.

From selling minor league baseball tickets door to door to turning down offers from Goldman Sachs, Brandon’s journey is a powerful case study in redefining success—and choosing integrity over income.

Together, Brandon and Coach Woody explore:

✅ The “bar moment” that changed Brandon’s life trajectory
✅ What Wall Street couldn’t give him—but a forklift in Charlotte did
✅ How his dad’s stroke and a LinkedIn like led to love, marriage, and meaning
✅ Why success without alignment leads to burnout
✅ The Moderna vs. Pfizer decision that became a character-defining moment
✅ How servant leadership shows up in parenting, business, and marriage
✅ Why imposter syndrome never fully disappears—and why that’s a good thing

This episode is a must-listen for high achievers standing at the crossroads of career and calling—ready to leave behind what looks good for what actually feels right.

🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations that challenge success, elevate purpose, and embrace a life well-lived.

✨ Stay connected:
LinkedIn: Coach Lucas Woody
YouTube: @TheNextBetter
Website: https://nextbetter.com

00:00 – Intro: Brandon’s path from small-town Indiana to Wall Street
01:40 – The “aha” moment at the bar: success ≠ fulfillment
04:45 – Selling tickets, eating ramen, and learning grit in Raleigh
07:50 – From finance to forklift: leaving Wall Street behind
10:30 – Witnessing his dad’s stroke and rediscovering what matters13:00 – The LinkedIn like that led to love15:00 – Building a family and shifting purpose18:30 – “I wouldn’t have understood it six months earlier”20:00 – The Wall Street bar scene that sealed his decision23:00 – The paradox of progress: sometimes the minors are the big leagues27:30 – Addictive personalities and competing to not lose30:00 – The Moderna vs. Pfizer moral dilemma33:00 – Choosing character over profit—and sleeping well at night36:00 – Raising daughters with integrity and example39:00 – Authenticity as a leadership advantage42:30 – What CEOs want isn’t perfection—it’s presence45:00 – Imposter syndrome: why it never leaves and what to do with it48:00 – Leadership blind spots: when wins go uncelebrated51:00 – Speak Life: using strengths to serve others55:00 – New success metrics: time, presence, family59:30 – “Parenting is only hard for good parents”1:01:00 – Final reflections and where to find Brandon

In this episode of the Next Better Show, Coach Woody and co-host Kristin dive into a topic that challenges how we think about money and happiness: materialism—but redefined as material well-being.

Together, they unpack why money alone isn’t the answer, how our beliefs about wealth are often inherited, and what it really means to have enough. Whether you’ve struggled with scarcity, built wealth but still feel unfulfilled, or are simply curious about aligning your finances with your values, this conversation offers fresh perspectives and practical takeaways. You'll hear Coach Woody’s personal struggles with money mindset, how he overcame limiting beliefs, and why being broke isn’t the same as being poor. Plus, Kristin brings thoughtful questions that spark deeper insights on quality of life, career decisions, and escaping the hedonic treadmill that keeps so many chasing more.

Key Takeaways:

• Why being broke isn’t the same as being poor
• How to escape the hedonic treadmill and stop moving the goalpost
• The surprising truth about wealth vs. rich
• How your childhood beliefs about money still shape you
• The mantra that keeps Coach Woody grounded: "You are enough"
• Tools for mindfulness and budgeting without feeling restricted
• The inspiring story of a man who walked away from a $300M career track to choose purpose

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome and show setup

00:50 – Why materialism might actually be a good thing

03:12 – What is material wellness? A deeper look

07:31 – Poor vs. broke: The mindset shift that changes everything

14:10 – Defining quality of life beyond the dollar amount

22:07 – The hedonic treadmill: Why more money never feels like enough

29:41 – The mantra that keeps Coach Woody grounded: "You are enough"

32:23 – How to escape scarcity mindsets from financial instability

44:33 – Surviving vs. thriving: Are you still in survival mode?

46:53 – The tools: Mindfulness and budgeting as keys to peace of mind

57:27 – Purpose-driven wealth: Why money should serve your mission

59:55 – Final thoughts + preview of the next episode on stress and performance

In this episode of The Next Better AMA Show, Coach Woody and Kristin explore one of today’s biggest existential questions:

Is AI eroding our sense of purpose—or helping us find a deeper one?

Together, they unpack how technology is reshaping our lives, careers, and relationship to fulfillment. From cobblers in ancient villages to modern-day coaching bots, Coach Woody walks through what it truly means to pursue meaning in a world where machines can do the work we once loved.

In this episode, let's explore:

Why tech convenience hasn’t made us happierHow AI is shifting the pursuit of meaningful workWhether menial tasks are becoming sacred againThe danger of always chasing moreCan AI enhance creativity—or replace it?

Highlights:

00:01 – Welcome and topic setup

04:00 – Has tech convenience made us happier?

09:47 – Chop Wood Carry Water: Meaning in the mundane

18:10 – Are menial tasks becoming sacred again?

24:00 – The shoe store vs. AI: Redefining our why

32:00 – The dangers of too much comfort

35:29 – Instant culture and the rise of anxiety

45:47 – Can AI enhance creativity—or replace it?

52:55 – Will AI discover its own sense of purpose?

57:30 – Book giveaway and next episode preview